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been a bit vain and heavy handed with them since their parents died, but this was reprehensible.
     When she returned to London, she would see to it that he regretted his selfishness. She would pull her money out of his business interests and insist he pay back the loan he’d taken from Paul. Though her husband had obviously been dishonest, he was no idiot. She knew he kept detailed records of his transactions with Victor, just in case.
    Her brother was a scoundrel. His political ambitions and selfish machinations had nearly ruined her life. There’d been a time when she had little will to live. Delphine and Paul had kept her going and prevented her from doing harm to herself.
    “I’m sorry, Roe, I was fifteen and I thought I would never see home again if he shipped me off to Canada. I hated to see you so despondent, but I was deathly afraid of Victor.”
    “I cannot believe how callous and cruel he was. That he thought he could manipulate the both of us so easily.”
    “To be honest, I am still a bit afraid of him. Victor is so set on his ambitions. He and Paul were determined to see you become the Countess of Northam. Victor had to have connections in Parliament and he knew that Paul could get those for him. Paul, I am sad to say, deceived you worst of all.”
    Rowena collapsed back against the wall of the church. Yes, her husband, the sweet and gentle man that had taken his last breath resting in her arms, had built their marriage on lies. His covetousness had nearly destroyed both her and his friendship with Simon. For what? Only to die miserably three years later.
    “I have been under such gross misassumptions,” Rowena said. She wiped her forehead. “All of these years, I blamed Simon. I almost hated him. And when he came to me today wanting to be with me, I—I was quite rude to him. I accused him of being a rake intent on ravishing me and discarding me, among other things.”
    “Obviously you still care for him or you would not be so upset.” Delphine patted her shoulder.
    “Yes,” Rowena said softly. “I do.”
    “If I had known you still cared so deeply, I probably would have told you sooner. You seemed happy with Paul after the marriage and when he became ill you were so despondent, I thought that you had lost all affection for Lord Rutherford. And because I was so afraid of Victor, I let the secret die. I was wrong.”
    Rowena hugged her sister. “Do not fear him. I have no intention of ever letting Victor have control of either of us again. When we return home, I want you to pack your belongings and come take residence with me. Victor will be angry, but I have him by the pocketbook, so he will have to acquiesce.”
    “Thank you,” Delphine said, hugging her fiercely. Rowena sighed. “Now, I have to determine how to make amends with Simon.”
    Would she be able to convince him to forgive her? He thought her a coquette and worse. That she had played him against his friend, that she had seduced him mercilessly then denied him the intimacies she’d promised.
    “Are you all well?” Alice said, coming into the church. “Rowena, you look—”
    “Sick to my stomach,” Rowena finished for her. “It was all a plot between Paul and Victor to keep me from wedding Simon. They deceived me, showing me a letter that was purportedly from Simon which said he had no intention of marrying me and for Paul to break the news to me.”
    “I never would have thought Paul capable of such treachery,” Alice said. “I knew he fancied you, but I had no idea he had plotted to destroy your relationship with my brother.”
    “Yes.” It hurt that Paul had intentionally wounded her all while pretending that he was only looking after her safety and happiness.
    “Alice, I have ruined things with Simon.”
    “How so?”
    Rowena looked into her angelic face and wondered how much she could share without humiliating herself in the process.
    Perhaps she deserved such a punishment.
    “I—” She lowered her voice in